No Joy In Candyland

**I've finally posted Christmas pictures over at Flickr for anyone who is still interested. This one is my favorite.

Well, the birthday-ing is all done. SugarPlum's big day was drawn out into two due to the big kick-off of the annual Girl Scout Cookie Sale for our council. (If you are in need of cookies, let me know, I can hook you up!) The Girl Scouts in our town all got together at the local roller skating rink to taste cookies and get their sales packets. This is SP's first year as a Brownie. I never could get in touch with the troop leader at her last school. We were in a big Campfire town before (not that there's anything wrong with that!)

Anywho, we decided to delay the birthday dinner and presents until Friday so that she could enjoy them more. Also, since Friday was Gray Gray & Gram's last day in town (their plane left at 6:15 this morning), we thought that maybe it would take some of the sadness out of the evening.

I did surprise SugarPlum a new "birthday outfit" to wear to school Thursday, a sparkly sweater and purple cords with rhinestone accents. I also told her that I would send a treat - cookies or cupcakes or something - to school to share with her class to celebrate her day. She said she'd like some thing homemade. Maybe some Break & Bake cookies or something. She said she likes cupcakes, but she knows you can't make those at home. You know, that's crazy, making homemade cupcakes. Right Mir? I'm glad I've set the bar so low.

Bear decided that he and I needed to go to "the birthday cake store" to get SugarPlum a cake. I had originally planned to make her one myself, but Bear was intent on picking one out for her, so I complied. Hey, it saved me some time! I drove him to the little bakery at the corner and we picked a cake called "Sinfully Chocolate" and it was beautiful and delicious!

SugarPlum requested Smothered Chicken for her birthday dinner. Not just smothered chicken, though, but Gram's smothered chicken. For some reason, however, Gram decided to put rice in the smothered chicken this time. Actually, I thought it was delicious. SugarPlum, however, was devastated and burst into tears as soon as it hit her plate. I'm pretty sure that it had little to do with chicken or rice and more with Gram and Gray leaving the next morning.

After supper, we moved on to presents. She got a book of Madagascar Mad Libs, a Cyberchase CD Rom game, a Weather Calendar, a set of lavender wheeled luggage, an Illustory kit and a digital camera. Yes. The girl made out!

By bed time she was boohooing. She snuggled Gram for a long time telling "Red Feather Stories" with Bear, where they pass a red feather between the three of them telling a story and stopping when they pass the feather. This can go on for hours and they love it.

SugarPlum finally went up to her bed at about 10:00 last night and Gram snuggled her until she fell asleep. Everyone has been okay today, if a little sad. I've had a nasty migraine. Gram & Gray Gray made it home safely and even got in early. That was a comfort. We miss them very much. We are looking forward to seeing them in April at B2B's wedding and then in May when they come for the boy's birthdays.

I guess that now Christmas is officially and completely over. Things will return to normal. Whatever that is. Lots of news to come over the next few weeks. Not sure if it will be good, bad or indifferent, but it will be news nonetheless!